John B. Tytus Jr.

ARMCO (American Rolling Mill Company) photograph shows a May Day celebration at Armco Field in Middletown, Ohio.

John Butler Tytus, Jr., invented a process to manufacture continuously rolling sheets of steel. This process reduced the manufacturing time and cost of sheet steel.

Tytus was born on December 6, 1875, in Middletown, Ohio. In 1897, he graduated from Yale University with a degree in English literature. In 1904, Tytus returned to Ohio, where he found employment at the American Rolling Mill Company (ARMCO) in Middletown. In 1918, while working at ARMCO, Tytus developed his process, the continuous hot strip mill, for manufacturing sheet steel. Sheet steel was in great demand due to the blossoming automobile industry. Automobile manufacturers used sheet steel to construct car bodies. Manufacturers also used sheet steel for many types of appliances.

Tytus remained in Middletown for the remainder of his life. He died on June 2, 1944.